On 10 th December 2013, Tidal Transit celebrated the completion of 20,000 safe passenger transfers from its three personnel transfer vessels (PTVs) to wind turbines situated in the North Sea.
Announcing this achievement, Tidal Transit Commercial Director Leo Hambro said: “I suspect that very few people realise the scale of offshore wind farm operations that now takes place off the shores of East Anglia every day. This sector of the renewable energy industry is growing at a phenomenal rate. Our vessels – Ginny Louise, Eden Rose and Tia Elizabeth – sail to the wind farms on most days from either Wells-next-the-Sea or Great Yarmouth to transfer wind farm maintenance technicians and their tools.”
He added: “Anyone who is familiar with the often unfriendly weather conditions our remarkable vessels face in the waters off the East Anglian coast will appreciate this achievement.”
Even in calm seas, transferring personnel from vessel to turbine is one of the most potentially hazardous processes faced by those working in the young offshore wind energy industry. It is a tribute to the design of Tidal Transit’s vessels, and the Health and Safety procedures of both Tidal Transit and the offshore wind energy companies to which it charters its vessels, that 20,000 transfers have been carried out with a 100% safety record.
Ginny Louise and Eden Rose have been in use on both the construction and operational phases of offshore wind farms since their arrival in the UK in 2012, and Tia Elizabeth joined them in September 2013. In April next year they will be joined by a fourth vessel, Kitty Petra.
Press release, December 16, 2013; Image: Tidal Transit